Mark Taffet of HBO sits down with Bloomberg TV to discuss the latest in boxing business. Taffet shares what his predictions are for the Mayweather-Mosley fight, in addition to some other interesting tidbits about competition between boxing and MMA.
Payout Perspective:
The most interesting comment that Taffet made came towards the end of the interview when he claimed that there was very little over-lap between the fan bases of boxing and MMA – only 3-5%. He further suggested that the demographics are completely different.
I have two thoughts regarding this:
1.) Boxing and MMA are competing for more than just 3-5% of the same customers when it comes to the blockbuster fights. Any time you step into that million buy territory, you’re hoping to attract the casual sports fan and that’s when the target demographics blend and we do see some crossover.
Generally, however, he’d be correct in saying that the demographics of the base lines are more or less completely different.
2.) The demographics have begun, and will continue, to merge as we move into the future. MMA is growing rather quickly and has managed to captivate a young audience that’s likely to grow with the sport. Moreover, as organizations like the UFC continue to expand, the sport will gain further popularity in some of the traditionally stronger boxing demos – Latinos for example.
Be sure to watch the video; it’s only 3 minutes.
And as many MMA fans grow older, they’ll make their ways over to boxing.
That’s certainly possible; although I’m inclined to believe that preferences of society are slowly changing.
Those that grew up with boxing are die hard boxing fans; the type that are adamant that when a man gets knocked down, he should be allowed to get back up. I don’t see that sentiment prevailing with this current young generation as it ages.
MMA fans will certainly be interested in Boxing as it is a part of MMA but I do agree that tastes are moving towards MMA. It’s a more diverse sports and the fact that the best possible fights are generally being made will continue to drive interest whereas fans will become and are fatigued by the constant politics in the boxing world.
Yeah i dont think mma fans will cross over to boxing as they get older. Boxing fans are old as hell because they grew up with boxing and thats what they enjoy. It didnt change over time it just become more instilled in them. The same will happen in MMA the longer fans have been exposed to MMA the more hardcore they become. Who knows, maybe there will be a new form of combat in 30 years and it will be us who act like Jim Lampley and other boxing pundits who who cant accept nothing new and claim MMA is the only real form of combat. People always become more set in their ways as time goes by. The difference is MMA will keep steal the younger fans. MMA will start to take all combat fans at an early age before they ever see boxing. MMA demo started out at 18-30 and its already into the mid to late 30’s because the sport has been around for over a decade. In another 10 years it will be 18-45. Thats because MMA isnt losing fans only gaining the next generation who have grown out of pro wrestling.
Of course I could be definitely be wrong about this, but the vibe at MMA events is so different from the vibe at big boxing events. Big-time MMA events just aren’t geared for “more mature” people as of yet. At least that is my take on it, and I have been to tons of big time boxing shows and five UFC shows live.
UFC PPV buys are trending downwards as of late, could be a sign of the times
And as these young mma fans grow up and get into thier choice of occupation, they will accpet mma as the #1 combat sport in the world (like sportscaaster, those in charge of production, baically the head honchos and the will put mma on primetime!!
Not sure what you mean peter. I mean UFC events are very high energy from beginning to end. But Boxing matches have their energetic moments too but its ussually small bursts. Like when someone throws a flurry or gets knocked down. The UFC croud seems more wild because the sport is a much faster paced fight compared to boxing. If you are refering to behavior of fans i dont agree. There are more younger people at MMA events so something going to happen. But that is the same with boxing. There isnt as many young people but there are still a lot and they tend to cause trouble just like MMA. There are always fights at big boxing matches just like big MMA events. Think back to the Bowe/Gollotta riot.
I am 31 years old and i started as an mma fan but now im more into boxing…the only boxing fights i watched when i was young were tyson fights…but mma when it was still NHB and the gracies still owned the ufc i was a big big fan..i got all the ufc extreme fighting vale tudo brazil and videos and trained in diff m-arts when i was younger..but im now more just into boxing and is going to promote soon…
the only reason boxing is boring is because the promoters let A fighters fight tomato cans…but put 2 equally skilled boxers in there and its very very exciting…i watch old school boxing hagler hearns and nigel benn and aaron pryour at youtube and its very very exciting…..i think since the ufc reached huge
proportion..bob arum and delahoya were forced to give more even fights in boxing which made boxing more exciting…the resurgance of boxing was because of the UFC….and ppv numbers are growing by the year.
i still watch mma thou but not as much…i still watch anderson vitor chuck lidell..wanderlei..and all exciting fighters/
so im still young yet i moved to boxing ..so its very possible that some mma fans would also enjoy boxing